Source: Northland Regional Council
Applications for Northland Regional Council’s Tū i te ora Scholarships have opened, with recipients set to receive financial support and paid work experience at council next summer.
Four scholarships are available, each includes $5000 to assist with study costs, plus paid full-time work experience with NRC from mid-November 2026 to mid-February 2027.
Council Chair Pita Tipene says the scholarships – which opened this month (subs: April) – provide value for both the recipients and council.
“Being able to empower our future environmental leaders by providing some financial relief and offering summer paid work experience is a good thing in the current climate.”
“These scholarships celebrate the council vision of ‘Tiakina te taiao, tuia te here tangata – Nurture the environment, bring together the people’.” “This is an incredible opportunity for students who whakapapa to Taitokerau.”
“This year we have an opportunity for work placement within Climate Action, Biodiversity & Science, Rivers and Natural Hazards & Civil Defence and Te Tiriti Partnerships & Engagement.”
Chair Tipene says the scholarships are also a way for students to ‘get a foot in the door’ in terms of potential future employment opportunities.
Since beginning in 2019, the scholarships recognise, encourage and support students to undertake study that relates to council’s environmental and regulatory functions.
Council’s environmental and regulatory functions include these areas:
- Biodiversity
- Biosecurity
- Climate change
- Environmental planning and policy
- Environmental science and data analysis
- Flood and natural hazard engineering and management
- Geographic information system (GIS)
- Land management.
- Water management
The scholarships have a specific aim to build Māori capacity within Taitokerau, with two of the four scholarships earmarked for Māori who whakapapa to Taitokerau. Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents who live in Northland (or have family that does) or whakapapa to Taitokerau (according to NRC’s operational boundaries).
They must also be enrolled (or have an intention to enrol) in a recognised tertiary course of study that relates to council’s environmental and regulatory functions and be studying at an undergraduate or higher qualification level. Applicants must be enrolled (or intend to enrol) for semester two of 2026.
Applicants must not have previously received a Tū i te ora Scholarship, must not be employed by NRC in a full-time, part-time or fixed-term role, and must be able to commit to the summer work experience.
Full eligibility criteria and an application form are available from: www.nrc.govt.nz/scholarship
Applications close on Monday 11 May 2026.
